Houston greets Paula Deen with cheers at first public appearance

From left: Paula Deen supporters Stephanie Young, Kelly Eldridge, Alix Yoder and Sue Yoder pose for a photo while waiting to see Deen at the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show at the Reliant Center Saturday Sept. 14 2013.(Dave Rossman photo)

Photo By Dave Rossman/Freelance

A tearful chef Paula Deen gets a hug from son Jamie as she is greeted by an ovation from the Houston crowd on Saturday.

Photo By Dave Rossman/For the Houston Chronicle

Chef Paula Deen thanks the crowd for their support at the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show at the Reliant Center Saturday Sept. 14 2013. Also pictured are Deen's sons Jamie and Bobby.(Dave Rossman photo)

Photo By Dave Rossman/Freelance

Paula Deen supporters Stephanie Young, from left, Kelly Eldridge, Alix Yoder and Sue Yoder wait to get a glimpse of the superstar chef, who put on two cooking demonstrations. Tickets for the show were $95.

Photo By Dave Rossman/For the Houston Chronicle

Chef Paula Deen thanks the crowd for their support at the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show at the Reliant Center Saturday Sept. 14 2013.Also pictured are Dean's sons Jamie and Bobby.(Dave Rossman photo)

Photo By Dave Rossman/Freelance

Chef Paula Deen thanks members of the crowd for their support at the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show at the Reliant Center on Saturday. With Deen are her sons Jamie, left, and Bobby who have their own cooking shows, cookbooks and also their own following. She showed fans how to make pies and a salad.

Fallen cooking star Paula Deen fought back tears Saturday as she was greeted by cheers and a standing ovation from a crowd of about 1,500 during her appearance at the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show at Reliant Center.

It was Deen's first public appearance since late June, when news broke that she had used a racial slur.

"These are tears of joy, y'all," Deen told the audience. "I've said all along that the one place I'd want to make my first step back out is Texas. Y'all's hearts are as big as your state."

She admitted using a derogatory racial term in a deposition May 17, bringing a storm of negative publicity that cost Deen her cooking show on Food Network, a cookbook deal and endorsements worth millions of dollars. Last month, a federal judge in Georgia threw out a sexual harassment and racial discrimination lawsuit against Deen, but the damage was done when major companies such as Target, Sears, Walmart, Home Depot, Kmart and JCPenney severed ties with her.

Houston resident Sherry Carter and her daughters, Shana Randle and Michelle Sanders, who were among a few African-American fans in the audience Saturday, said the allegations hadn't turned them against Deen.

"When I first heard about it, my feeling was, she got caught," Carter said. "Just about everyone I know has used the word. At least she was honest about it."

Four friends from the Fulshear-Richmond area wore sashes and carried placards with Deen's photo to show their support.